OMAA auction on tap

Thursday

Aug 30, 2007 at 2:00 AM

OGUNQUIT — Where can you have a chance to buy 103 items that range from a Victorian weekend for two in Ogunquit to a DeWitt Hardy painting to having your name included in an upcoming Ann Beattie novel? If you guessed the Ogunquit Museum of American Art's third annual Almost Labor Day Auction, you're absolutely right. The auction, a full evening of great art and fun, kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the museum.

Jim Kanak

OGUNQUIT — Where can you have a chance to buy 103 items that range from a Victorian weekend for two in Ogunquit to a DeWitt Hardy painting to having your name included in an upcoming Ann Beattie novel? If you guessed the Ogunquit Museum of American Art's third annual Almost Labor Day Auction, you're absolutely right. The auction, a full evening of great art and fun, kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the museum.

"We have both a live and silent auction," said Museum Board member Bernie Speers, a member of the committee that planned the event. "In the silent auction, we tried to package things. There are things for children, things for gardeners, and so on. The prices range from modest to expensive."

In all, there are 56 items included in the silent auction, with something for everyone. There are a Heritage kayak available, AMTRAK tickets to Boston and a stay at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, a lunch ride for three to four people on the sailboat O'Day, and tickets to the Portland Symphony. There gift certificates to restaurants, a massage, membership to the OMAA, clothes, jewelry, and doggie day care. And that's just a sample.

Speers said this year's event has a special twist. "We're adding a new game," she said. "It's a flashing pin game we're calling 'From the beach to the Big Apple.' People can buy chances and get flashing pins to wear. Then they have to stand up and follow directions. The last person standing wins. It requires no particular expertise, just fun."

And what a prize: The winner gets two nights in a boutique hotel in midtown Manhattan, breakfast each morning for two, a sight-seeing package for two, and two tickets to the taping of "Late Night with David Letterman."

Being an art museum, of course, the event culminates in a live auction of fine art. Curator Michael Culver has organized that part of the evening, which runs from 6:45 until 8 p.m. Culver described some of the pieces available. "Jamie Wyeth gave us a marvelous print, 'The Islander,'" said Culver. "At the bottom in the margin, he did a remarque, a small painting in watercolor, pen and ink, and signed it. It's an absolutely unique print.

"There's a wonderful pastel by Wolf Kahn, 'Looking Down the Cove,' done near Bath. It's a real Maine piece. We also have a wonderful watercolor by DeWitt Hardy and two wonderful pencil drawings by Charles Woodbury, donated by the Woodbury family."

In total, there are 40 pieces in the live auction. But there's something of a surprise midway through the live auction. At that point, Auctioneer Frank Kaminski will take bids on seven novelty items that include being mentioned in the Ann Beattie novel. Besides that are dinner for eight at a country home, a tour of a Smithsonian garden and lunch for six, an English William IV Teacaddy, a wine tasting, a Diva Gram from an opera or Broadway professional, and a pearl necklace.

This is an event that takes some planning. "We started work in January," said Speers. "A lot of people who worked on it before are back again. But it's always a challenge to put together an event like this.

"The gratifying thing is the guests seem to have a great time, we make a little money for the museum, and it all turns out so well."

The auction has become an important part of the museum's revenue stream. "We have raised over $100,000 over the last two years," Culver said. "This has brought a lot of people into the museum. You get a real feel for our support in the community."

Tickets are $40 for members (two for $75) and $45 for nonmembers. They are available at the door or by calling the museum at 646-4909. Parking is available at the Cape Neddick Country Club, with complimentary service to the museum on the Ogunquit trolley.

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